Sorry - this is probably a common question but - HOW DO YOU LOCK A RECUMBENT?

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I can almost hear groans of "oh not another 'bent noob asking this old silly question"
I know some 'bents do have frames you can lock, frames with a triangle of sorts, but many don't.

How does one go about securing something like this for instance?

To me, that would seem to be one major stumbling block of a 'bent - though I've always fancied one I couldn't see me spending 'bent money for something that I had to trust a cable through the spokes with when I need to leave it anywhere
 

Night Train

Maker of Things
I think I would make sure the seat bolts are security bolts and then feed a cable through both wheels and under the seat. I'd probably wrap the cable tight to the frame under the seat and maybe also find a U lock that was small and tight to the frame tube.

However, being me I would weld a loop to the frame for locking up.:biggrin:
 

mcshroom

Bionic Subsonic
I remember one trike rider (think it was tigerbiten) locking his bike to a road grate. I think you could probably do that here over the frame between the bars and the saddle.
 

GrasB

Veteran
Location
Nr Cambridge
D-lock around the steerer area then a cable lock or chain for the wheels. Sure you'll be able to get the d-lock off if you remove the forks & boom but you'll have to cut/remove the gear & brake cables all of which will be a lot of work for someone trying to steel the bike.
 
Location
EDINBURGH
I use locking wheel skewers to protect the wheels, I have a triangulated frame so locking the bike in general is not an issue, for the pictured bike I would pass the d-lock around the frame between the seat and the shock then to something solid like a sheffield stand.
 

GrasB

Veteran
Location
Nr Cambridge
I'd lock the bike up with a D-lock where the red line is:
2010Giro-26ATT.lock_location.jpg
It makes attacking the lock much harder than between the seat & rear wheel.
 

henshaw11

Well-Known Member
Location
Walton-On-Thames
D lock between the seat and headtube (speedmachine) - finding a suitable post to lock to can occasionally be a problem. If only there for a short time or somewhere that's relatively safe or in (public) view (eg back of the local pub) then u-lock around the boom, would still take some hassle to remove.

If I'm anywhere where it's out of sight for long, cable extension from the u-lock through both wheels.

At a pinch for a short period, u-lock through the swingarm triangulation to nearby post etc.
 

GrasB

Veteran
Location
Nr Cambridge
I also use the shorter d-locks 210mm rather than the usual 280mm, means that there is less space to get a bottle jack in.
This is reason to lock around that area is that you can use a shorter shackle as the seat doesn't need to rest rest against what you're locking the bike to. This is more of a problem if you've for metal railings to park the bike against rather than a Sheffield stand.
 

BlackPanther

Hyper-Fast Recumbent Riding Member.
Location
Doncaster.
I can almost hear groans of "oh not another 'bent noob asking this old silly question"
I know some 'bents do have frames you can lock, frames with a triangle of sorts, but many don't.

I'd noticed whilst researching bents there was a security issue and I was just about to ask this in a post, but after doing a forum search....hey presto, it's been asked already. Good tips above. I already have a good quality chain/lock for the Road bike, but I think I'll invest in a u-lock after reading the posts above.
 

byegad

Legendary Member
Location
NE England
Like any bike if someone wants your ride enough they'll be able to defeat any lock. BUT a 'bent is not something you can sell down the pub. So that makes them more secure as they can be virtually unsellable. Anyone asking me about my trike gets the same answer, there's only one like this in the country. Factually correct, as no one will have the accessories or hidden ID that I've fitted, the answer is designed to make a potential thief think about disposal.
 
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